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Law clerk salary
Average law clerk salary
$55,916
Law Clerk Salary Overview
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Law Clerk in the United States is $55,916 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location and years of experience. For instance, law clerks in major metropolitan areas often earn more due to a higher cost of living and demand for legal services.
Salary by State
States such as California, New York, and Illinois typically offer higher salaries for law clerks, reflecting the competitive nature of legal work in these regions. In California, for example, law clerks can expect salaries exceeding $70,000 in certain cities.
Job Opportunities
In addition to salary, law clerks can find diverse opportunities in various fields, including litigation, corporate law, and public interest law. Gaining experience through internships or clerkships can significantly enhance your career prospects and salary potential.
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Where can a Law Clerk earn more?
Law clerk salary estimates from across the web
Average law clerk salary by state
The average law clerk salary in New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average law clerk salary states are Georgia, Indiana, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for law clerks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $105,556 | $50.75 |
| 2 | New York | $83,585 | $40.19 |
| 3 | California | $70,394 | $33.84 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $79,314 | $38.13 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $68,180 | $32.78 |
| 6 | Washington | $66,170 | $31.81 |
| 7 | Vermont | $73,026 | $35.11 |
| 8 | Delaware | $70,047 | $33.68 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $71,508 | $34.38 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $66,622 | $32.03 |
| 11 | Illinois | $63,363 | $30.46 |
| 12 | Maine | $70,225 | $33.76 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $57,666 | $27.72 |
| 14 | Nevada | $65,015 | $31.26 |
| 15 | Colorado | $56,347 | $27.09 |
| 16 | Kansas | $49,031 | $23.57 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $65,583 | $31.53 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $51,591 | $24.80 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $53,250 | $25.60 |
| 20 | Idaho | $54,852 | $26.37 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $52,745 | $25.36 |
| 22 | Michigan | $49,758 | $23.92 |
| 23 | Ohio | $50,947 | $24.49 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $44,439 | $21.36 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $51,741 | $24.88 |
| 26 | Montana | $57,706 | $27.74 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $46,945 | $22.57 |
| 28 | Virginia | $53,479 | $25.71 |
| 29 | Oregon | $45,633 | $21.94 |
| 30 | Missouri | $45,050 | $21.66 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $53,391 | $25.67 |
| 32 | Florida | $43,571 | $20.95 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $53,386 | $25.67 |
| 34 | Maryland | $53,022 | $25.49 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $47,789 | $22.98 |
| 36 | Alaska | $38,917 | $18.71 |
| 37 | Arizona | $50,316 | $24.19 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $42,136 | $20.26 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $42,903 | $20.63 |
| 40 | Texas | $40,281 | $19.37 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $38,240 | $18.38 |
| 42 | Iowa | $44,407 | $21.35 |
| 43 | Utah | $39,196 | $18.84 |
| 44 | Indiana | $37,393 | $17.98 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $37,355 | $17.96 |
| 46 | Georgia | $38,085 | $18.31 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $39,786 | $19.13 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $38,512 | $18.52 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $37,189 | $17.88 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $32,804 | $15.77 |
| 51 | Alabama | $36,384 | $17.49 |
Highest paying cities for law clerks
The highest-paying cities for law clerks are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $107,457 | $51.66 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $84,006 | $40.39 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $79,294 | $38.12 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $74,053 | $35.60 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $66,278 | $31.86 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $64,883 | $31.19 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $63,694 | $30.62 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $56,314 | $27.07 |
| 9 | McLean, VA | $54,853 | $26.37 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,665 | $25.80 |
| 11 | Fort Lee, NJ | $53,378 | $25.66 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $52,806 | $25.39 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $52,793 | $25.38 |
| 14 | Rockville, MD | $52,647 | $25.31 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $46,055 | $22.14 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $45,434 | $21.84 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $44,005 | $21.16 |
| 18 | Des Moines, IA | $43,819 | $21.07 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $40,952 | $19.69 |
| 20 | New Orleans, LA | $39,708 | $19.09 |
Law Clerks are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Law clerk salary details
A law clerk's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $114,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a law clerk's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| Average | $55,916 | $4,660 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying law clerk jobs
The highest paying types of law clerks are litigation associate, staff attorney, and attorney.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney | $109,476 | $9,123 | $52.63 | 10,991 |
| Contractor-Paralegal | $60,686 | $5,057 | $29.18 | 15,609 |
| Attorney At Law | $108,018 | $9,002 | $51.93 | 7,025 |
| Staff Attorney | $110,028 | $9,169 | $52.90 | 75,402 |
| Real Estate Paralegal | $68,387 | $5,699 | $32.88 | 24,369 |
| Corporate Paralegal | $67,515 | $5,626 | $32.46 | 13,482 |
Top companies hiring law clerks now:
Which companies pay law clerks the most?
Law clerk salaries at Hughes Hubbard & Reed and Nixon Peabody are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average law clerk salary at companies like O'Melveny and Kirkland & Ellis are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hughes Hubbard & Reed | $210,750 | $101.32 |
| 2 | Nixon Peabody | $210,422 | $101.16 |
| 3 | O'Melveny | $203,527 | $97.85 |
| 4 | Kirkland & Ellis | $203,275 | $97.73 |
| 5 | Cahill Gordon & Reindel | $202,860 | $97.53 |
| 6 | Norton Rose Fulbright | $201,612 | $96.93 |
| 7 | Orrick | $200,669 | $96.48 |
| 8 | Baker McKenzie | $199,695 | $96.01 |
| 9 | Dechert | $198,231 | $95.30 |
| 10 | Skadden | $197,866 | $95.13 |
| 11 | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | $197,090 | $94.75 |
| 12 | Willkie Farr & Gallagher | $196,635 | $94.54 |
| 13 | McGuireWoods | $196,627 | $94.53 |
| 14 | Jones Day | $195,899 | $94.18 |
| 15 | Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison | $194,041 | $93.29 |
| 16 | Squire Patton Boggs | $193,967 | $93.25 |
| 17 | Pepper Hamilton | $193,819 | $93.18 |
| 18 | Mayer Brown | $193,433 | $93.00 |
| 19 | Locke Lord | $193,110 | $92.84 |
| 20 | Cooley | $192,532 | $92.56 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Law clerk salary trends
The average law clerk salary has risen by $14,642 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average law clerk earned $41,274 annually, but today, they earn $55,916 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for law clerks over the last decade.
Compare law clerk salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average law clerk salary over time
Compare law clerk salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Law clerk salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,900 | $26.88 | +6.1% |
| 2024 | $52,500 | $25.25 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $52,100 | $25.03 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $49,900 | $23.99 | -0.8% |
| 2021 | $50,300 | $24.19 | +2.0% |
Recently added law clerk salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Law Clerk for Klamath County Circuit Court | Klamath Falls, OR | 06/28/2025 | $82,440 |
| Pima County, Az | Law Clerk-Public Defense Services | Tucson, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $45,643 |
| Allegan County | Law Clerk | Allegan, MI | 06/28/2025 | $60,001 |
| Richland County, Sc | Summary Court Law Clerk | Lake Murray of Richland, SC | 06/28/2025 | $43,117 |
| Erie County, Pa | Law Clerk | Erie, PA | 06/26/2025 | $54,483 |
| United States Courts | Term Law Clerk-Temporary | Albuquerque, NM | 06/26/2025 | $74,741 |
| State of Minnesota | Law Clerk-Fall 2025 | Saint Paul, MN | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| State of Kentucky | Law Clerk | Owensboro, KY | 06/25/2025 | $50,004 |
| United States Courts | Term Law Clerk | Rochester, NY | 06/24/2025 | $74,457 |
| Neheadstart | SOS Temporary Law Clerk | Lincoln, NE | 06/24/2025 | $32,015 |
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